Mandrel rod support and operating mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT OR.

HO 7E' D W SMITH ATTORNEYS Dec. 10, 1940. H. w. SMITH MANDREL ROD SUPPORT AND OPERATING MECHANISM Original Filed May 22, 19:57

Dec. 10, 1940. H. w. SMITH MANDREL ROD SUPPORT AND OPERATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 22, 1937 INVENTOR. HOWARD [IV-SMITH Wm QM ATTORNEYS v Patented Dec. 10, 1940 MANDREL ROD SUPPOBT AND OPERATING MECHANISM f Howard -W. Smith, Ellwood City, Pa., assignor to The Aetna Standard Engineering Company, Youngstown, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application May 22, 1937, Serial No.

Divided and this application November 18, 1939, Serial No. 305,110

3 Claims. (01. 205-4) This invention relates to apparatus for drawing metallic articles and more particularly to an improved mandrel rod supporting and operating mechanism for use with draw benches for drawing metal tubes over a mandrel and through a die.

This application is a. division of myco-pending United States Patent application Serial No. 144,- 195, filed May 22, 1937, now Patent No. 2,196,155

and reference is hereby made to said co-pending application for detailed illustration and description of a draw bench of a type with which my present apparatus is particularly adapted for use. Among the objects of the present invention are: the provision of means for moving the mandrel or mandrels of a draw bench into and out of their drawing position in the die to facilitate loading of the tubes over the mandrel rods; the provision of a mandrel rod support whereby the g0 mandrel rod may readily be changed for different sizes of tubes-and whereby the location of the mandrel relative to the die canbe readily adjusted and controlled by the operator; and the provision of a rugged, efficient, quick acting mandrel supporting and operating mechanism for tube draw benches or the like;

Other objects of my invention will appear from the following description of one embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the mandrel operating end of a drawbench illustrating my improved mandrel support and operating mechamsm.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one of the mandrel operating pistons.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical 0 cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

The draw bench with which my mandrel support and operating mechanism is adapted to be used may be of any suitable type, for example that shown in my above identified co-pending application Serial No. 144,195. In the drawings, the draw bench is not illustrated in full but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the mandrel bars I and 2, which are shown broken off in the accompanying drawings, extend to the dies of the draw bench and carry at their die ends suitable mandrels over; which the tubes are drawn. In operation, a tube to be drawn is slipped over one ofthe mandrel supporting bars I and 2 and then drawn through the die in the usual manner. As it is necessary to change mandrels and mandrel rods for different sizes of tube, and as it is frequently necessary 5 to'adjust the position of the mandrel in the die, I have provided a mechanism which permits ready change of the mandrel rods and makes it possible to adjust the mandrels accurately whenever desired. Furthermore, -the mandrel rods 10 can be retracted from drawing position, with the mandrel within the die, into loading position, with the mandrel pulled back away from the die, substantially instantaneously and at the will of the operator. 15

Referring now to the drawings, the mandrel operating mechanism whereby the outer ends of the mandrel rods I and 2 are supported and the mandrels are moved toward and away from the die, comprises a pair of substantially identicalvg mechanisms each adapted to operate one of the mandrel rods. It will thus be unnecessaryto describe each mandrel operating mechanism separately, as, to a largedegree, they are made up of identical parts. A supporting frame 3 is 25 adapted to carry the mandrel anchor and cylinder supporting member 4 at the proper height above the floor. This anchor 4 is provided with slots 5 and]; inwhich, referring to the slot 5, an adjustable mandrel guide and retaining mem 30 her I is disposed. This adjustable guide is adapted to be moved longitudinally in the slot 5 and is provided with a notched end portion 8 in which the mandrel rod 2 lies. The rod 2 is provided at its end with an enlarged head 9 and a collar l0 centers the rod inthe slot 5. The opposite end of the guide 1 is secured to the end of the tubular threaded barrel member I l by means of a screw thread and a set screw l2. The threaded barrel ll extends through, but does not 40 contact with, the portions l3, l4 and I5 of the mandrel anchor and cylinder support member 4. The left handend (Fig. 2) of the threaded member II is secured to the hollow connecting sleeve l6 and the cylinder I1 is secured to the other end 5 of the sleeve l6.- This sleeve I6 is supported by the portion l8 of the member 4 and is keyed thereto, as indicated at I9, so that longitudinal movement of the cylinder ll, the connecting sleeve Hi, the threaded sleeve ii and the adjust- 5o able guide I is permitted relative to the supporting member 4 but rotary movement of this ase sembly relative to the support member 4, is pre vented. I

The longitudinal movement of the assembly of parts just enumerated is effected by means of an internally threaded sprocket member 20 which has threaded engagement with the sleeve H and which is supported and prevented from longi- 5 tudinal movement by thrust faces on the portions i3 and M of the support 4. It will be seen that when the sprocket 20 is rotated the entire assembly of the cylinder sleeve l6, sleeve II and guide member 1 will be moved longitudinally.

This movement will change the position of the right hand stop portion 8 of the guide I and thus will change the limit of movement of the mandrel rod 2 toward the die.

As seen in Figure 2 the rod 2 is in its drawing position with the head 9 abutting the stop 8. If it is desired to change the drawing position of the mandrel toward or away from the die it is only necessary to turn the sprocket 20 the proper amount in the proper direction. Extending through the hollow center of the above noted mandrel locating assembly is a rod 2| which, as best seen in Figure 3, carries a piston member 22 on its outer end. This piston is adapted. to move in the cylinder II which is connected by means of a suitable conduit 23 to a source of fluid under pressure (not shown). A coil spring 24, normally maintained under compression, is disposed between the piston 22 and a shoulder 25 on the bore of the threaded sleeve When fluid under suitable pressure is delivered to the cylinder H on the left hand side of the piston 22 the piston 22 and the rod 2| will be moved to the right and the end 2| of the rod will engage the.

head 9 of the mandrel rod 2 and move it to the right into its drawing position engaging the stop 8. In Figure 2 this operation has taken place and the supply of fluid under pressure has been released and the cylinder vented by a suitable valve (not shown). The spring 24 will return the piston 22 and the rod 2| from their advanced position to their withdrawn position, which is illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

In the operation of the machine, after a tube has been placed on the mandrel rod and the mandrel aligned with the die, which operations take place when the rod 2 is in its withdrawn position and the head 9 thereof is back against the left hand end l2 of the guide (Figure 2), fluid pressure is applied to the piston 22 and it is moved forward with the rod 2| which engages the head of the mandrel rod 2 and pushes the mandrel rod 2 forward into drawing position in the die. After the tube is drawn through the die the mandrel rod 2 may be manually returned by the operator to its loading position with the end 9 abutting the left hand end of the guide The slotted stop end 8 of the guide 1 permits the necessary vertical movement of the mandrel rod 2 to take place while still providing an effective adjustable limit or stop to its movement toward the die.

In order to keep the mandrel rods l and 2 from jumping out of the slots in the guide members I hinged covers 26 and 21 are providedisee Figure 4). These covers have downwardly extending projections 28 and 29 which are adapted to engage the sleeve l0 and thus prevent undesired vertical movement of the ends of the mandrel rods. The mandrel rod retaining cover members 26 and 21 are hinged at 30 and 3| respectively to brackets 32 and 33 which extend upwardly from the bed 6 and are provided with handles 34 and 35. By providing the arrangement described for supporting the ends of the mandrel rods and 2 they are held securely in position during operation of the apparatus but may very readily be removed when it is desired to change mandrels.

A chain 39 engages the sprocket 20 and passes downwardly around a sprocket 31 which is secured to the end of the shaft 39. This shaft 38 is adapted to be operated by any suitable means, such as a hand wheel (not shown) disposed conveniently to the operator, and it will be seen that rotation of this shaft will cause corresponding movement of the adjustable guide member 1 thus varying the position of the limiting end portion 8 to control the inner or drawing position of the mandrel.

Although the above description has applied particularly to the mandrel rod 2 it will be understood that the apparatus used for operating the mandrel rod I is substantially identical. It should be noted, however, that a sprocket 39 is provided for operating the adjusting mechanism for the mandrel rod and that the sprocket 39 is offset from the sprocket 20 and is disposed between the portions I4 and I5 of the bed frame 4. A chain 40 extends downwardly from the sprocket 39 to a sprocket 4| (see Figures 2 and 5) secured to a shaft 42 which in turn is connected to be rotated by any suitable means such as a hand wheel disposed adjacent the hand wheel which operates shaft 38. Thus, it will be seen that the operator, from his position adjacent the die stand may adjust the drawing position of each of the mandrel rods and 2 by merely rotating the hand wheels in the proper direction. The control valves (not shown) for the mandrel operating pistons may also conveniently be located at the operators position adjacent the die stand. As the hand wheels which are adapted to adjust the position of the stops which control the drawing location of the mandrels are also located adjacent the die stand, and as the controls for the tube feeding mechanism and the grip buggy may also be located at the operators position, the entire draw bench may be controlled by a single operator.

Tubular spacers 43 enclose the connecting rods 44 which form the side members of the draw bench frame structure and which are connected to the supporting frame 9 by nuts 45.

Although I have described the illustrated embodiment of my improved mandrel rod supporting and operating mechanism in considerable detail it will be understood by those skilled in the art that modifications and variations may be made in the form of apparatus employed without departing from the spirit of the invention. I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the particular arrangement herein shown and described, but claim as my invention all embodiments thereof coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the type described, a supporting frame, an adjustable mandrel rod supporting and feeding mechanism carried by said frame and including an abutment adapted to limit movement of a mandrel rod toward a die, a screw threaded member movable with said abutment, a cylinder movable with said screw threaded member, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston out of said cylinder through said screw threaded member and adapted to engage the end of the mandrel rod and move same into engagement with said abutment, and means co-acting with said screw threaded member for adjusting the position of said abutment relative to the supporting frame. 2. Anchoring and actuating mechanism for mandrel rods of draw benches and the like including in combination, a unit including a cylinder, an abutment, and an adjustment screw member, said cylinder having a piston operable therein, fluid pressure connections for moving said piston in one direction, spring means for moving said piston in the opposite direction,. a stationary frame for supporting said unt, coacting screw means for moving said unit relative to said frame and means carried by said frame for retaining a mandrel rod adjacent said abutment while permitting movement of the end of the rod toward and away from said abutment, said piston being adapted to urge said mandrel rod toward said abutment when moved by fluid pressure and to releasesaid mandrel rod when moved in the opposite direction by said spring means.

3. Anchoring and actuating mechanism for mandrel rods of draw benches and the like including in combination, a unit including a cylinder, an abutment, and an adjustment screw member, said cylinder having a piston operable therein, fluid pressure connections for moving said piston in one direction, spring means for moving said piston in the opposite direction, a stationary frame for supporting said unit and co-acting screw means for moving said unit relative to said frame, means carried by said frame for retaining a mandrel rod adjacent said abutment while permitting movement of the end of the rod toward and away from said abutment,

and-a piston rod connected to said piston and adapted to engage said end of said rod to move same against said abutment when said piston is moved by fluid pressure.

HOWARD W. SMITH. 

